This application claims priority of DE 198 51 975.3, filed Nov. 11, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to an air bag module housing for a motor vehicle, having an oblong basic housing body which is used for receiving a gas generator and an air bag and which is laterally closed by two side covers. The air bag module housing is deformable in the event of an impact of a part of the body, particularly of the head, of a vehicle occupant.
Known air bag module housings are described, for example, in European Patent Document No. EP 0 666 203 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,395,133 and 5,342,082. In European Patent No. EP 0 666 203 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,133, energy-absorbing elements are to be mounted on the edges of the basic housing body. As the result, the shock in the event of an impact of a vehicle occupant's head is to be damped. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,082, the same object is to be achieved by recessing oval openings in the side covers. In addition, V-shaped incisions are made in the edge area of the side covers.
It has been discovered that a modification of the basic housing body alone is not sufficient for ensuring a satisfactory deformation of the air bag module housing. The construction of openings or V-shaped incisions in the side covers results in the risk that, when inflating, the air bag may become hung up therein and tear. In addition, the side covers may break in the areas between the openings or incisions when highly stressed, which results in breaking edges which may cause injury.
For optimizing the deformation of the air bag module housing, EP 0 734 914 B1 and European Patent Document EP 0 818 361 A1 suggests thermally weakening individual areas in the basic housing body. As a result, the moment of resistance is to be reduced in a targeted manner. The thermal weakening of individual areas has the disadvantage, however, that their quality or the presence cannot necessarily be recognized. WO 91/14 110 also relates to the thermal weakening of energy-absorbing structures.